A Zutaran Season Four
by Beth Abelseth
Summary: Mai breaks up with Zuko. Katara breaks up with Aang. Zuko searches for his mother. Aang searches for inner peace. Ozai escapes. Will the gang regroup themselves in time? Please review! Thanks!
1. Dinner Disaster

**Chapter One: Dinner Disaster**

Zuko stared at the bite-sized remains of his lavish dinner. The party had been Iroh's idea, of course. It had been three months since Sozin's comet and the end of the war. It had also been three months since Zuko had been able to find a moment to himself.

"Hey Zuko!" Aang yelped from where he stood on the floor in front of the raised platform where the fire nation royal dinner table stood. "Watch this!" The young avatar leaped into the air and performed a complicated air bending maneuver laced with fire bending that resulted in the appearance of a long, serpentine dragon flowing above the dignitaries' heads, searing an intricate pattern of loops and circles into the air.

The guests clapped, oohing and aahing. The fire lord sighed, pretending to be impressed as he faked a smile and nodded approval. The avatar was still not a perfect fire bender and Zuko couldn't help noticing the sloppiness of his form and the slight misdirection of that one flaming loop that missed the glamorous hair of that one particularly high-ranking guest by mere inches.

"Zuko," Mai muttered into his ear, "Will you at least pretend to be happy?"

"I am pretending." Zuko protested, sitting up straighter and turning his full attention on his beautiful and unbelievably faithful girlfriend – why she had been so willing to take him back after he broke up with her in an ink-and-paper note was something he hadn't yet been able to figure out. "See?" He gave her his biggest, fakest grin.

"Oh, Zuko." Mai rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the little grin that wanted to spring onto her lips.

Zuko smiled sincerely then, a warm bubble rising softly in his stomach.

Aang suddenly slapped both his hands on the table in front of Fire Lord Zuko. "Wasn't that awesome?" He demanded breathlessly.

Zuko smirked. "We'll talk about it tomorrow morning during training. Your form wasn't perfect."

Aang scowled at his fire bending teacher. "We're going to train the morning after a banquet?"

"No." Zuko corrected his unenthusiastic pupil thoughtfully. "_You're_ going to train. _I'm_ going to watch and tell you what you're doing wrong."

Defeated, the Avatar turned an eager expression to the girl of his dreams, "What about you, Katara?" He skipped two seats down and grinned at her excitedly. "You thought it was awesome, right?"

"Hm?" Katara tilted her gloomy face up from staring at her empty plate. "Yeah, Aang," she tried unsuccessfully to sound impressed. "It was really amazing."

The Avatar frowned, shoulders slumping. "What's wrong with you two? This is a party! You're supposed to be having fun!"

Zuko looked at Katara, seeing the way her shoulders slumped, the shape and curl of her dark hair as it cascaded down her back, the soft blue of her dress and necklace which both made her tan skin glow. Her eyes were trained on her plate, watching her own fingers as she picked a defenseless piece of bread to the tiniest crumbs.

There was a lot he would give to see her happy – if only her happiness could be bought. Zuko breathed out a barely-noticeable sigh, and looked back at his own plate of food.

Aang threw up his hands in frustration. "Fine! Be depressed! I'm going to go dance with Sokka, Suki, Tophe, and Iroh. At least they know what you're supposed to do at parties!" The Avatar stomped off towards the center of the great hall where a crowd was dancing to the traditional Fire Nation ball music played by an orchestra Iroh had hired for the occasion.

"Let's go dance," Mai suddenly whispered in Zuko's ear, leaning over so that the sweet smell of her floral perfume washed over him.

Zuko took in a deep breath of her gentle perfume. "I just don't feel like it tonight."

Mai's mouth puckered in a frown. "Well then, let's go for a walk." She snatched his hand up with both of hers. "Just the two of us."

How could Zuko resist? "Okay." The dinner had gone on long enough that no one would question the Fire Lord leaving his table. The palace gardens would be lovely enough in the late evening. Zuko rose and quietly led the way to the nearest door.

From the corner of his eye, Zuko thought he saw Katara fold her arms on the table and drop her chin onto the cushion they made, sighing heavily.

Outside, the air was cool with the arriving autumn, with the scent of dry leaves and the barest hint of frost on the breeze. The courtyard garden was of course lovely with late-summer flowers. The fountains tinkled their songs in the silver moonlight as Zuko led Mai along the brick paths that criss-crossed their way through the large courtyard. A few insects were still out despite the chilling weather, buzzing and chirruping in the shadows under the flowers. The stars were clearly visible and innumerable, filling the sky with pinpricks of light. Somehow, Zuko was blind and deaf to all of it, the responsibilities of the fire lord weighing heavily on his shoulders.

There was still so much to do. They had paid damages to the other nations already, nevermind that they would never be able to fix the Air Nation with any amount of money. He had asked AAang if he'd wanted some land and funds to start some kind of school or orphanage, but the Avatar had preferred to stay in the Fire Nation and continue his study of fire bending for now. Even so, there was little left for the Fire Nation herself. Nearly all of the country's money had gone to severance pay to veterans, and trading between the other countries had all but ceased. He had tried to schedule meetings to speak with the leaders of the other nations, but they were still sending him excuses in return and making it impossible to settle on a date and location.

"This is nice," Mai said quietly when they stopped in front of an ornately-carved stone bench.

"Hmm?" Zuko looked at her as if seeing her for the first time.

Mai placed a firm hand on either side of Zuko's face. "Will you please stop thinking about the Fire Nation for more than two seconds?"

He smiled at her gently and moved her hands away from his face. "I wish I could, Mai." His longing to love her properly filled him with one more ache on top of all the other bruises – his father loathing him, his mother still missing, his sister locked away in Boiling Rock, Katara obviously hurting from something but unwilling to let anyone help her. "It's just…" he let out a deep breath, searching for words that did not want to come, "it's my job."

"So do you love your job more than you love me?"

"What?" He really looked at her then, saw her fists clenched at her sides, the tears in the corners of her eyes. "Mai, you can't-how can you-I'm the Fire Lord!"

"And I'm your girlfriend!" Mai stubbornly reminded him, her words laced with venom.

"I belong to the Fire Nation, not to any one person." He corrected her, patiently controlling the anger rolling in his gut. "I thought you understood that."

"Yeah, of course, but, Zuko," her voice started to break, her eyes filling more with water, "I've seen so little of you since the comet. I've missed you." Her fists opened and one of her hands snatched one of his.

Zuko looked down at their intertwined fingers. He wished he could say that he had missed her as much, but he was afraid that would be a lie. "Mai," he shook his head, "this is who I am now. I can't put any one person above my country. As much as I want to love you properly, I will always belong to the Fire Nation first. That's my duty."

As a single hot tear slid down her cheek, Mai's eyes stabbed daggers at Zuko's heart. "Then maybe you should date your duty instead of me." She snatched her hand out of his and stormed away.

"Oh, Mai," Zuko whispered to himself, watching her leave. Part of him wanted desperately to run after her, to hold her and kiss her and promise to spend more time with her, but the more sensible part of him knew that the words would be empty. The worst part of it was that he wasn't sure he still loved her. He'd thought he did when he returned and asked her to take him back. When he'd realized his feelings for Mai had started to fade, he convinced himself that it would be a good match anyway, feelings or no. Zuko's knees buckled and he fell to a seat on the hard, cold marble bench. Now she never would be his Fire Lady. He wished he felt more remorse over losing her. Actually, it was a relief, one less burden on his shoulders to worry about.

"Katara!" Aang's shout jolted Zuko out of his self-pity. "Katara! Wait! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!"

"Shut up, Aang!" Katara stopped by a fountain a few feet in front of Zuko's bench and adopted a water-bending pose.

Aang came up short in front of her and pulled out his air-bending stick defensively, "No, listen! I'm sorry! I was wrong to say that to you!"

Zuko stood up and cleared his throat. "Please," he said calmly when he had both of their attention, "don't bend in the courtyard. If you're going to have a fight, go do it in the training arena."

Katara dropped her hands to her sides and stared at the brick path under her feet. Aang glared at Zuko, then at Katara, and then turned his back to them and opened up his glider. "Fine. I'll talk to Katara later." With that, he air-bended himself up and out of the courtyard, heading for the training arena.

"I guess this just wasn't a good night for couples." Zuko said quietly, attempting to break the awkward silence before it began.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked just as quietly, not moving.

"Mai and I had a fight just a few minutes ago." He confessed solemnly, watching his favorite water bender as she lifted her hands to rub at her face. "Here," he offered her a handkerchief from his pocket when he heard her sniffle. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," Katara blew into the soft red cloth, "just stay out of it, please."

"If that's what you want." He turned. "I'll just be going."

"No!" Katara spun on her heel to face him, eyes glittering with tears, cheeks damp, "please, I don't want to be alone right now."

Zuko turned back to her, "what can I do for you?" He hoped the eagerness in his heart was not too obvious in his voice.

"Just talk to me," Katara swallowed down her sobs and sniffled again, wiping her face with the handkerchief Zuko had just given her. "About anything, I don't care."

"Well," Zuko said the first thing that came to his mind, "I have to meet with the council tomorrow morning, and I'm not looking forward to it."

"Why not?" Katara sniffed.

"For starters, it's already late," Zuko glanced at the sky, "and I already promised Aang a training session in the morning, not that I should allow myself to sleep in. I need the morning meditation more than ever now."

"Why?" Katara asked quietly, her tears already silenced.

"It's just all this stress." Zuko shrugged and went back to the bench, where he promptly sat down. "The farmers need more land, the poor people need more jobs, the schools need more money, the other nations won't trade with us, let alone speak to us." The looseness of his tongue surprised him, but somehow it was so easy to talk to Katara, to just unload all of his problems with her standing there. "I hope I'm not burdening you. These are my responsibilities, not yours."

"No," Katara joined him on the bench. "I don't mind. I can be very good at listening, and maybe I can help."

Zuko smiled then, for the first time in three months. "Thank you."

Katara smiled in return and Zuko's heart fluttered. "No, thank you." She held out the used handkerchief.

"You can keep that," Zuko blurted without thinking, "if you want. I've got dozens."

Katara nodded and folded the handkerchief. "Thanks again."

"You're welcome," Zuko told her softly, "if you ever need anything, Katara, you only have to ask. You know that, don't you?"

"I know." She shook out her hair a little and sat up straighter, regaining her usual composure. "The same goes for you, too, Zuko. You shouldn't feel like you're all alone in running this country. You've got Iroh and your advisors-"

"You mean back-stabbing, self-centered bureaucrats." He glanced at her shocked expression, "well, not Iroh, but the rest of them. You should hear them quibble at the council meetings. Last week they spent twenty minutes arguing about whether the official mascot of a rural school by a river could be a fish, specifically, whether having a fish for a mascot was acceptably Fire Nation or if it was too Water Nation." He gave her an exasperated sigh. "I hate dealing with them."

"Well," Katara suggested slowly, "maybe you should take a break. You have been going at it for three months now."

"And trust the country to the council?" Zuko gave her a look of disbelief. "They'll never get anything done!"

"So, put Iroh in charge." Katara offered.

"Uncle?" Zuko's brow ruffled in concern.

"He was a really successful general, wasn't he?" Katara reminded the Fire Lord, "I'm sure he can handle running his own country for a few weeks."

"A few weeks?" Zuko exclaimed. "How long a break do you think I need?"

Katara shrugged. "Long enough to go somewhere, see something beyond the Fire Naiton. Isn't there some place you've always wanted to visit?"

"No," Zuko answered thoughtfully, "but there is a person I've always wanted to find."

"So go, and don't come back until you've found them." She said with easy confidence.

"But what if it takes months?" Zuko demanded uncertainly.

"I'm sure your uncle will manage." Katara smiled, back to her old self again.

He wanted to ask her to come with him, to help him find his mother. But, if Katara went with him, so would Aang, and if Zuko was going to take a break from the Fire Nation, he was also going to take a break from the insufferably child-like Avatar. "I guess I could talk to my Uncle about it tomorrow." He said, rubbing the back of his head thoughtfully.

"That's the spirit!" Katara encouraged him with a grin. "You'll see, Zuko. Everything's going to be fine."

And when she said it, eyes shining with friendship, Zuko couldn't stop himself from believing her, nor from wishing he could do more to make her happy.


	2. Leaving

_Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who left comments on the first chapter! I'm glad you guys are enjoying this fic. Right now, I've been really focused on my Labyrinth fic "The Lady of Night" which is the sequel to "The Walls Crumble and Fall." So working on the Zutaran Season Four has been a slow process, but here is chapter two! Let me know what you think and I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. (BTW: "Ang" is now "Aang")  
_

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**Chapter Two: Leaving**

Zuko topped the stairs that led to the highly-elevated training area. He stood on the edge of the enormous circular space and took in a deep breath of the pre-dawn air. _This is what I need,_ he thought to himself, _peace and quiet._ He walked out to the center of the area, only to find a lump snoring there already.

"Aang?" The Fire Lord prodded the Avatar with his shiny boot.

Aang mumbled in his sleep and rolled over. Momo chattered, crawled lithely out from beneath the air bender, and climbed up to perch on Zuko's shoulder. Zuko stared at the animal. Momo smiled at him.

"Aang!" The Fire Lord released a burst of heat near the Avatar's bum. "Wake up!"

"Yikes!" The airbender leaped to his feet and then dropped back to the ground to roll the fire out. "Sheesh! Aren't there nicer ways to wake people up in the morning?"

"Not if they're sleeping in my training area." The Fire Lord glared down at Aang.

"Oh." Aang stood up and bowed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't do it again." Zuko walked back to the slightly scorched space in the exact center of the training area, which was marked with a painted fire nation symbol. "Sleeping here disrupts the atmosphere, and makes concentration difficult. If you're going to fall asleep then you should stop training and go to bed. Your body can only take so much, even if you are the Avatar."

"Yes, teacher." Aang bowed again and then came to sit down next to Zuko. "I won't do it again."

Zuko took a deep breath. "Good. Now meditate." He shook Momo off his shoulder and the lemur scampered off and away from the training area, knowing from past experience that it would be best to leave before the bending started.

Fire Nation birds twittered and sang. The sky slowly began to grow light. The temperature dropped, as it often does just before dawn, and then began to rise again. The two benders sitting in the center of the training area felt and heard this, but they stayed as they were, breathing slowly, emptying their minds.

"Argh!" Aang shouted and pounded his fists against the ground.

Zuko opened one eye to glare at him.

"I can't train today." Aang announced and stood up.

"Why not?" Zuko closed his eye again and kept his breathing slow and steady.

"Because I'm angry at Katara." The Avatar admitted, pacing back and forth. "And she's angry at me, and we didn't resolve anything last night, and I can't focus or think or empty my mind until I've fixed it."

"You're letting your emotions rule you." Zuko observed. "It's going to be your downfall."

"Love isn't a weakness!" Aang shouted at his firebending teacher. "It's a strength!"

"I didn't say you were being ruled by love." Zuko responded calmly, breathing deeply and slowly.

"You're as cryptic as Iroh!" Aang grumbled, crossing his arms.

Zuko raised his eyebrows and smirked to himself. "I'll take that as a compliment. Sit down, Aang." The Fire Lord took one last deep breath and opened his eyes. "Listen," he propped his elbows on his knees and folded his hands under his chin, looking out at the city beyond the palace and the trees beyond the city, "I've decided to leave."

"Leave?" Aang asked as he sat down, taking his bending stick and laying it across his lap. "What are you talking about? You're the Fire Lord. You can't just leave."

"As the Fire Lord, I can do whatever I want," Zuko explained, "and besides, it's not like I'm actually being productive. The council moves at the council's own pace. I plan to ask my uncle to look after things while I'm away."

"You're leaving Iroh in charge?" Aang asked skeptically.

"That's the plan." Zuko stood. "Now, let's do some drills."

"What!" Aang stood up and gave Zuko his best puppy face. "I already told you, I can't train today! I'm too upset about Katara!"

"You need to learn how to put being Avatar before Katara."

"No I don't! I won't put anything before Katara!" Aang opened his glider and took off from the training arena.

The Fire Lord watched him go and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Avatar. I really wish it didn't have to be that way."

***

"Katara!" Aang yelped as his glider came down in the palace courtyard, where the waterbender was sitting on a bench by a fountain. "Katara! We need to talk."

"Yes," Katara sighed. "We do." She stood and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Look, I'm sorry that I called you uptight and bossy." He landed smoothly and stood before her. "I'm just trying to be a normal kid."

"Well, Aang," Katara tossed her hair over her shoulder so that the curls cascaded down her back. "I hate to break it to you, but you're not normal." She informed him in a stern tone, "You're the Avatar and you need to be responsible."

"But there isn't even any danger anymore!" The Avatar whined. "We beat Ozai and the Fire Nation isn't fighting the other nations and everything's fine now!"

"No, Aang!" Katara admonished, "everything is not fine! The Fire Nation is in debt up to its eyeballs, and there are orphans everywhere, and everyone is in the process of rebuilding. We've still got a long way to go before we can say that anything is fine, and the world is looking to you to set an example and be there to give guidance and advice. You should be training!"

"I couldn't train today, because I was upset about the fight we had!" Aang retorted more loudly than was necessary.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Katara threw her hands up in exasperation, speaking just as loudly as Aang. "You need to be responsible enough to put being Avatar first! Even before me!"

Aang stared at her, his mouth hanging open. "What's that supposed to mean?" His voice was quiet, his eyes filled with hurt.

Katara's eyes stung. "You can't keep doing that, either! I'm not the bad guy here! Aang, I really didn't want to have to do this, but I don't think I have a choice anymore. I'm not going to give you the chance to choose, because I'm afraid you'll choose wrong." She took a deep breath and composed herself, arms at her sides, facial expression like stone, "It's over, Aang. I'm not going to be your girl anymore." With that, she turned around and walked steadily away.

"Katara..." Aang could barely find his voice, let alone his feet.

***

"Ah, nephew!" Iroh turned from the trunk he was packing to embrace Zuko as he entered the old man's private bedchamber. "What can I do for you?"

"Uncle," Zuko hugged him back. "I need to ask you to do a favor for me."

"Certainly!" Iroh released his nephew and put his hands on the young man's shoulders. "Anything for the Fire Lord."

Zuko gave him a little smile. "Speaking of Fire Lord," he paused for just half a second, and then went on in a rush, "would you mind filling the spot for a few weeks?"

General Iroh studied the face of the Fire Lord. "What will you be doing?"

"Looking for my mother," Zuko answered with an iron will. "I got a clue from my father. I'm going to go look for her, and I'm not coming back until I've found her."

"Woah, be careful with making promises like that!" Iroh stepped back and sat down on the edge of his bed. "I don't mind keeping your seat warm for you, but I have no intention of becoming Fire Lord for life."

"So, you'll do it?" Zuko asked with relief.

"Only if you promise me a deadline." Iroh replied sternly. "When will you be back, with or without your mother?"

The Fire Lord glared at his uncle, not wanting to see the logic of his request. "One month," Zuko finally conceded.

"Two weeks."

"Three and a half."

"Two and a half."

"Three weeks."

"Done." Iroh stood and looked at his suitcase. "I guess I had better unpack this, then, and cancel the airship."

"Where were you going to go?" Zuko asked quietly, suddenly aware that his uncle had sacrificed his own plans, whatever they had been.

"Ba Sing Sei," Iroh answered dreamily, "to start up that tea shop again." He sighed. "But the tea shop can wait."

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko embraced his relative and then gave a little bow. "I'll be heading out tonight." Then he turned and left the room.

"See you in three weeks," Iroh muttered at the door, "I hope."

***

"Zuko!" Katara nearly walked into him, coming around a corner too fast. "Sorry. I was actually just going to look for you."

"It's fine, Katara." He gave her a stiff bow. "What can I do for you?" He smiled.

Katara felt her cheeks get a little warm. "I just wanted to thank you so much for your hospitality and for asking me to stay as part of your court, but I've decided I need to go home. My father and Sokka and Suki are working really hard to rebuild the Southern Water Tribe, and I feel that my place is really with them, right now."

Zuko watched her eyes, red-rimmed and tear-stained. "Are you sure that's the only reason?"

"What other reason could there be?" She asked a little too brightly.

"Aang said you had a fight."

"Oh that." Katara waved it off and looked away, "it's nothing to worry about. I just wanted to tell you thanks and good-bye." With that, she marched past Zuko, on down the hall.

_It is about him,_ Zuko thought to himself as his eyes followed Katara's willful paces. _She's really upset. If only I could help._

"Zuko?" A timid Avatar came around the corner Katara had just turned a few minutes earlier. "Did Katara talk to you?"

"Yeah, um, were you following her?"

"Uh, kinda, but not really. What did she say?" Aang perked up his big ears and stared eagerly up at Zuko.

The Fire Lord sighed. "Just that she's leaving. She thanked me for my hospitality and said good-bye."

"Leaving!" Aang's face paled. "Where's she going?"

"Back to the Southern Water Tribe, to help her family rebuild."

"No!" The Avatar started to rush past Zuko, but the Fire Lord put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Let her go, Aang." He suggested quietly. "She seemed really upset. I think she just needs some space. Give it a week. Let her have some fresh air and some different scenery. I'm sure she'll be ready to talk to you again after that."

"No, she won't," Aang grumbled, staring down at his feet. "She broke up with me, Zuko." He sniffled. "She said I wasn't being responsible enough about being the Avatar and she didn't want to make me choose between her and being Avatar because she was afraid I would choose wrong." He wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his shirt.

_Well,_ Zuko thought to himself, _she has a point._ "I'm sorry about that, Aang." He squeezed the Avatar's shoulder. "Mai broke up with me last night, too. She was upset because I kept putting the Fire Nation before her."

"Ha," Aang tried to laugh, "maybe we should switch places."

Zuko smiled at his young friend. "As tempting as that is, I'm not sure you'd make a very good Fire Lord."

Then the Avatar did laugh. "That's okay. You wouldn't be a very good Avatar, either."

"Sire!" One of the council's runners appeared in the corridor and bowed deeply. "The council is waiting."

Zuko sighed heavily. "I'll be along in a minute." The runner bowed again and left. "Sorry, Aang." He shrugged. "Duty calls."

Aang nodded. "Yeah, I understand. Hey, Zuko," he called when the Fire Lord started to walk away.

"Yes?" Zuko stopped and turned back.

"I was thinking I might leave, too." The Avatar hesitantly explained, "I need...I think...I don't know what I need, but I'm pretty sure that whatever it is, it's not here."

"Very well. I guess everyone's leaving, then."

"Yeah. I guess so."

Neither of them smiled as they went their separate ways.


	3. Stowaways

_I bet you all thought I abandoned this fic! To be honest, I kind of almost did. Actually, I was just waiting until I came up with a really good idea for a plot. I mean, I have a general outline, but details make all the difference! So, here is chapter three...please enjoy!_

**Chapter Three: Stowaways**

"Zuko?" Mai's voice was muffled through the door.

The Fire Lord took a deep breath and left his packing on his bed. "It's open."

His ex walked in the room with her head down. "I heard you were leaving."

"Yes," Zuko answered as gently as he could, "tonight."

"You weren't going to tell me?" Her fists clenched at her sides.

"You broke up with me." Zuko shrugged. "I thought you would be glad to see me leave for a while whether I told you about it or not."

"I'm sorry, Zuko. I didn't mean it." She blinked furiously. "I was just upset because I felt like we hadn't really had a moment to ourselves in so long."

"Mai, don't be sorry." He tried to smile, but failed miserably. "I thought a lot about what you said, and you're right. I have been dating my job for the last three months, and I'm going to take a break and get away from that for a while."

"So take me with you!" She stepped forward and put her hands on his waist. "Please? Let's just go somewhere and do something together. Like a real vacation." The little smile on her face was extremely enthusiastic, considering how little she ever smiled.

"I'm sorry, Mai." Zuko delicately removed her hands from his waist. "This is for me and me alone. I need some time to myself, to sort some things out and decide what's really important to me. Until I know for sure, I think it wouldn't be right to string you along." He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye, "I can't be in a relationship right now, Mai. I'm sorry."

Her eyes filled with water as she whirled and left the room, slamming the door behind her. Zuko took a deep breath before going back to his packing. Less than an hour later, he walked out of a side exit to the palace and pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, hefting his bag over his shoulder. The small airboat was waiting for him at the end of a long dock. It was unattended, but fully stocked. He untied the rope that held it to the ground and climbed aboard, lighting the fire that would carry him up into the skies.

He leaned against the basket and watched the Fire Nation dwindle away. "I hope I'm doing the right thing," he muttered to himself. "I can't afford any mistakes right now."

The moonlight reflected off Aang's shiny bald head as he walked Appa out into the open with Momo clinging to his shoulder. "I just wish I could have found Katara before I left," he said to the lemur. "I wanted to say good-bye." The Avatar sighed and bended himself onto the sky bison's back. "Well, let's go guys. It looks like it's just us for now. Yip-yip!"

Momo made a small, sad noise, as he perched on the saddle on Appa's back.

Mai watched the sun rise over the garden wall, the sky growing into a bright blue. Birds twittered and flitted above her head. Bees bumbled by her knees. She sighed occasionally – long, drawn out, deflated sighs.

"Well, well!" Iroh chuckled as he approached the young woman in the garden. "What's this?" He sat down next to her. "A glummer face than usual?

Mai glared at him. "Zuko left."

"Yes, and I understand you broke up with him. So why does this trouble you?"

"He broke up with me," Mai answered sulkily.

"Oh," Iroh's forehead creased momentarily. "But why do you let it bother you? If the relationship is over, then why not enjoy being single?"

"I hate being single."

"Ah, then I may just be able to help you!" Iroh took her by the arm and pulled her to her feet. "There is a young man in town that you simply must meet!"

"What!" Mai protested uselessly as Iroh dragged her out of the courtyard and through the palace. "I don't want to meet any young men! I don't want to meet anyone! I want to miss Zuko!"

"Oh, forget about him." Iroh waved a hand over his shoulder. "I think this young man will be much better for you."

"Iroh, you're being ridiculous!" But Mai stopped struggling and allowed herself to be hauled out of the palace into the bustle of the streets.

Zuko's fingers drummed on the edge of the basket, his dark eyes staring out across the ocean. The sunrise had been nice, with reds and oranges. So far, he hadn't seen or heard any birds, or fish. It was just him, the airboat, the air, and the ocean. Not a cloud in sight.

The Fire Lord sighed and slid down to sit on the floor of the airboat. He leaned against a bag that went "omf".

Zuko's brow wrinkled and he turned his head toward the bag. With a loud yawn, he stood up and stretched. He walked a few paces away from the bag and then returned to it again. Disinterestedly, he kicked it.

"Ow!"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Are you going to come out, or just keep hiding in there, Katara?"

The muffled voice inside the bag sighed, and the waterbender wriggled her way out. "How did you know I was in there?"

"Bags don't usually go 'omf'." Zuko sighed and frowned at the horizon as Katara stood and brushed herself off, sending the flowery smell of her perfume in his direction. "I should take you back to the Fire Nation."

"Or you could just drop me off at the Southern Water Tribe." She smiled at him sweetly.

The corner of Zuko's mouth twitched. "Aang really was following you, wasn't he?"

Katara sighed and leaned on the edge of the basket. "He wouldn't leave well enough alone. I told him I was done and he kept accidentally running into me and trying to start up conversations. I couldn't take it anymore." She fell silent, tracing the edge of the basket with her finger.

Zuko glanced at Katara, and then set his eyes on the horizon again. Silence settled between them for a moment.

"It wasn't my idea." Katara added quietly.

Zuko held a deep breath.

"I was talking to your uncle about it. He mentioned that you were leaving in an airboat on the dock, and then he distracted Aang for me."

"How did you know with airboat was mine?"

Katara turned to him with a smirk on her face. "Come on, Fire Lord. It wasn't that hard. Yours was the only one with a pile of stuff in it."

The Fire Lord fought the urge to grin.

"Well, Appa, where should we go?" Aang asked as they soared over the ocean. "The air temple is deserted. Katara doesn't want to talk to me. Zuko's not at the Fire Nation anymore." He leaned back and thought about his options. "We could visit Sokka in the water tribe." After a moment, he added, "If Katara happens to show up there, it's not like that's our fault. We had no way of knowing she'd be there. Really." A grin erupted on his face. "Okay, Appa!" He sat up straight. "To the Southern Water Tribe!"

Appa made a deep turn, and one of the bags in the back of the saddle groaned. As soon as Appa straightened out, Aang leaped on the bag and tore it open.

"Tophe!" He yelped and helped her out.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." She griped and hung her head over the edge of the saddle.

"What are you doing here?" Aang demanded. "I thought you were still in the Fire Nation!"

"All by myself? Are you kidding?"

"What do you mean all by yourself?" Aang sat down next to her.

"Well, Sokka and Suki left yesterday morning and you and Katara and Zuko were all leaving last night, and did you really expect me to let you guys leave me behind? Oh, no. If there's going to be an adventure, I'm going to be in it."

"But I'm not on an adventure." Aang explained gently.

"Sure you are, twinkletoes!" She argued. "You're flying Appa to the Southern Water Tribe to visit Sokka and hopefully run into Katara, right?"

"What!" Aang leaped to his feet. "How much of that did you hear?" He grabbed her by the front of her dress.

"Chill out!" She pulled herself away from him. "I only heard what you said just now, and I'm not about to go blabbing to anyone, am I? Except for maybe Momo or Appa, and they already heard you, too."

Aang sighed and sat down again, head hanging.

"You guys must have really had a bad fight this time." Tophe commented. "Your pulse is depressed."

"It's worse than that." He explained gloomily. "She broke up with me."

Tophe raised her eyebrows. "Really? That sucks." She scooted a little closer to him. "So you're feeling pretty heartbroken right now, huh?"

Aang nodded.

"Any chance you think she'll take you back?"

He shook his head.

"Wow." Tophe leaned back on her hands. "What did you do?"

"I said I would never put anything before her. Not even being the Avatar."

"Oh." She frowned. "Yeah, that would put off the rule-maker. She's too responsible for her own good."

Aang sighed deeply and threw himself down against the saddle. Appa roared a complaint. Tophe stretched out next to Aang.

Mai stood amid a crowd of dirty commoners, all dancing and jamming to a rock band that was playing on the street. Iroh had dragged her all the way down to the poor end of the city just to introduce her to some boy. She glared around her in disgust. Whoever this person was, they were most likely a stinking, dirty slob.

Finally, the band stopped, and the mob began to disperse. Iroh glided through the people with a young man in his wake. He had shaggy light brown hair and a strong chin.

"Here, we are!" Iroh beamed. "Jet, this is Mai. Mai, this is Jet. He plays lead guitar-banjo in his new band!" He glanced at the sky. "Oh my! Where has the day gone! I'm afraid I must be late for a meeting or something, so I'll just leave you two to yourselves. Bye now!" With that, he scampered away.

"Jerk." Mai and Jet muttered simultaneously.

They looked at each other for a long moment, like chess players at the beginning of a match.

"So," Jet made the first move. "You like sushi?"

"Sure." Mai shrugged. "But only if it's clean and expensive."

Jet raised an eyebrow. "That so?"

"Yep. And I'm sure you can't find anything like that around here." She waved her hand to indicate their surroundings. "So, nice to meet you, but now I have to go."

"Well, hold on a sec." Jet ran forward and cut off her escape. "I might just know a place that has some really expensive, really clean sushi. You just gotta walk a little ways to get there from here."

"Oh really?" Mai folded her arms. "Forgive me if I don't take your word for it."

"Then why not come and see for yourself?" He held out an arm, to indicate the direction toward the worst part of the city. "Then you don't have to take my word for anything?"

Mai rolled her eyes. "This had better not take long."

"Oh, don't worry." Jet started off, walking beside her, but a little ahead, to lead the way. "It won't take long at all."

They walked into an alley, and all at once, several dark shapes fell on them. Mai reached for her knives, but there were too many of them, and they had the element of surprise. Someone grabbed her arms, and something heavy collided with the back of her skull. Before she could do anything to retaliate, she fainted.

"So," Katara asked hesitantly, "do you have a plan for how you're going to find your mother?"

"How did-" Zuko cut off his yelp of surprise and buried his face in his hands. "I'm going to kill my uncle when I get home."

Katara laughed, musical bells that rang deep within Zuko's heart. "Relax. He just let it slip when he was telling me to go hide on your airboat."

Zuko sighed. "Very well."

"So?" Katara prompted when he'd been silent for a while. "What's your plan?"

He gave her a long, scrutinizing look. He cared for her, and he could admit that to himself, but he wasn't sure he was ready to trust her, or anyone, with something so personal.

"If you don't want to tell me, then that's fine." She turned away and looked out at the ocean. "I just thought I might be able to help."

Zuko's heart twisted. "You would help me find my mother?"

"Of course." She smiled at him. "We're friends. Friends help each other."

"Forgive me," he shook his head in wonder. "I still have a lot to learn about friends."

"That's okay." Katara went back to staring over the ocean. "I'll help you."

They were quiet for another while. Zuko tended to the fire in the airboat. Katara alternated between standing and sitting.

"I hope I'm not making you go out of your way." Katara said from a corner, where she leaned against a bag.

"What do you mean?" Zuko's heart pounded. Helping Katara would never be out of his way.

"I mean, you have this whole mission in mind, and now you're going to have to stop at the Southern Water Tribe to drop me off. I just hope I'm not throwing you off."

Zuko nearly laughed. "It's not out of my way at all, Katara. Actually, I was heading in the direction of the Southern Water Tribe, anyway. Someone there may know something that will help me."

"Really?" Katara's face brightened immediately. "I know everyone in the village! Who are you looking for? What do you need to know?"

He smiled warmly at her eagerness, and sat down beside her. "Well, when I interrogated my father about my mother's whereabouts, he said he didn't even know where she was, but that I should start by going south. At the time of her disappearance, there was a ship going to the Southern Water Tribe to kill their last water bender. He thinks she went there."

Katara stiffened. "Really?" She asked, darkly, "she was on that ship?"

"Oh." Zuko realized too-late the connection between Katara and that particular mission. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"No, it's fine. I'm just..." Her blue eyes traced over him and then settled on the floor of the basket. "Nevermind. So, who are you looking for in the Southern Water Tribe?"

"Anyone." He shrugged. "Anyone who can remember that far back and tell me they saw her." He hesitated. "I know it's a long shot. It's more likely they killed her as soon as they found her, but she might be hiding there still. If she doesn't know what's going on or if she's afraid they'll kill her as soon as they find out who's wife she is." He shook his head. "I don't know. I'm afraid of what I might find, but I can't turn back now. I have to go. I have to know if she's...I need to know what happened to her."

Katara put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find out. Don't worry."


	4. Awkward Reunions

**Chapter Four: Awkward Reunions**

Mai's aching head pulled her out of unconsciousness. A small groan escaped her throat. She tried to roll over into a more comfortable position, but her wrists were tied behind her back and her ankles were tied together. The only moderately comfortable position she could manage was sitting up, and that took a little while. Her arms tingled as numbness wore off. Her bones felt stiff.

She blinked the bleariness out of her eyes and looked around in the dim light. Jet was laying face-down nearby, wrists and ankles bound like hers. He snored gently. Mai shifted her weight, moved her legs around, and managed to kick him. He snorted and shifted, but didn't wake.

"Insufferable." Mai muttered, and glared at the small room they were in.

It was empty, with a hard dirt floor and wooden walls. She was sure her dress had been ruined. The door was on the opposite side of the room and so well-fitted that no light escaped through the cracks. The only light in the room came from four fire-filled sconces, one in each corner.

Mai checked her sleeves and her boots, mildly surprised to find that her knives were still in their places. She would be able to cut them out of their bonds at any time, but the problem was making sure it would be the right time. At that moment, she could free them, but then how would they get out of the room? Better to wait for the door to open, then use the knives to kill their captors and escape that way.

She shifted a sleeve and a knife dropped into a palm. She rubbed the blade against the rope, tearing away enough that she could break it with a good twist of her wrist when she was ready. She would have done the same for her ankles, but she couldn't reach them as she was. Where was Tai Lee when you needed her?

Jet mumbled something unintelligible and sat up, blinking furiously.

"Wha...?" He looked around, took in the surroundings, and sighed. "Not again."

"This happens to you often?" Mai asked testily.

"All the time." He shifted around, cursed. "They took my boot knife."

"Here." Mai scooted toward him in as dignified a manner as possible, which was not all that dignified. "Use mine."

"You have a boot knife?" Jet turned his surprised face away so that she could transfer the throwing knife to him, back to back. "That's not a boot knife. Who are you?"

"I'm Mai. Don't cut your ropes off all the way. Just enough so you break them when it's time."

"Have you done this before?" Jet finished with his ropes and pressed the weapon back into Mai's palm.

"Keep it." She said, giving the knife back to him. "I have more."

"You're not just any stuck-up aristocratic snob, are you?" Jet asked as he turned around to face her.

"That's not important. What is important is that we have a coordinated plan of attack ready for them when someone opens that door."

"You have done this before." Jet marveled. "I want details."

"Fine. Just pay attention. That door is shut tight. No knob on this side, see? So we can't get out unless one of them opens the door for us-"

"And when they do, we break out and kill them and then we make a run for it and kill anyone in our way. I get it. I didn't mean details about this. I meant details about who really are."

Mai pierced him with a stare, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't sound awful. The best she could think of was 'my best friend went insane and tried to kill my boyfriend-well, ex boyfriend-who also happened to be her brother, and I was named an enemy of the state and imprisoned for a while because I picked my boyfriend, who is now the Firelord, over her'. Before she could decide whether to say it or keep her mouth shut, the door opened.

* * *

"Gran Gran?" Katara asked as she stepped through the flap of her grandmother's tent-like home. "Are you here? It's me-"

"Katara!" Sokka scooped his sister up into a squashing hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay in the Fire Nation with the Avatar."

"Aang and I broke up." Katara said sourly and pulled herself away from her brother.

"Wait – you were together?" Sokka's mouth dropped open.

Katara gave him a pitying look.

"Katara." Suki stepped up next and gave her a warm hug.

"Suki." Katara returned the gesture. "Is Gran Gran around?"

"Zuko! What are you doing here?" Sokka shouted as the Fire Lord entered the humble tent.

"I gave Katara a ride, and I'm looking for my mother."

"Wait," Sokka's mouth opened and closed, half-finished questions falling out of it, "aren't you suppo-what are you doing with-what happened to-I thought your mother-what are you doing with-"

"I need to find my mother." Zuko said and pressed his lips together.

Sokka's mouth kept opening and closing, but nothing else came out.

"Gran Gran's out with Pakku." Suki said to Katara. "They're actually talking about getting married, too. We might make it a double wedding."

"Wow! Really?" Katara said, joy bubbling up inside her. "When will they get back?"

"Soon, I think." Suki said. "Do you want some tea while you wait?"

"Sure. That sounds great." Katara said, and went to help Suki with the tea things.

Zuko gently punched Sokka in the jaw to get him to stop gaping. They all gathered around the short table, and swapped stories of the last few days since they had been apart. Sokka was just beginning to prod Zuko about his mother again, when the ten-flap opened and Gran Gran and Pakku arrived, with two others behind them.

"Gran Gran!"

"Katara!"

"Aang?"

"Katara!"

"Zuko?"

"Tophe?"

"Aang." Katara glared at the Avatar. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to visit Sokka," he said and went over to her brother and threw his arm over his shoulders, "and wish him well as he prepares for his wedding. That's not a crime, is it?"

"Nope!" Sokka said with a big grin. "Not at all. It means a lot that you came by, buddy."

"Actually," Tophe said, "he's really here because-"

"Because," Aang interrupted, "I wanted to also help you plan your wedding."

"Uh, that's really sweet," Suki said, "but I think we've got it covered. Thanks anyway."

"Well, this is such a big group," Gran Gran interjected, "and this tent is so small. Pakku, I think it's time that we showed them. They're all here, after all."

"Well," he frowned at first, but it slowly transformed into one of his reluctant grins, "I suppose. This way, folks." He held the tent flap open again and let everyone outside into the brightness of the day.

"He's been working on it for days," Gran Gran confided in Katara, whose elbow she had grabbed. "You'll be impressed when you see it."

"I'm glad." Katara managed a weak a smile.

They walked a little ways through the Water Tribe encampment, until they came to a large tent-structure that seemed to have several rooms coming off the main one. Pakku held the flap open and let everyone in ahead of himself.

"Well, we were going to wait until the wedding before we revealed all this, and it's not quite finished yet, anyway, but," Pakku took a breath, "this is our new home, and we'd like to welcome any of you to come and stay here at any time. We've definitely got enough space for the entire family."

"I wanted to make sure everyone would have a place to sleep if you ever came to visit." Gran Gran added.

"It's wonderful, Gran Gran." Katara said, stepping into the middle of the main room and spinning around in the open space.

"Yeah, this is amazing." Sokka said.

"It's incredible." Suki said.

"It's not finished," Pakku said, "but let me show you around anyway." He started for one of the side rooms, and everyone followed, except Gran Gran, who pulled Katara back to stay with her.

"What's wrong?" Her grandmother said without preamble.

"What are you talking about? Nothing's wrong." Katara said with a glance toward everyone else.

"Don't think a grandmother can't see when her granddaughter is upset. As soon as the avatar walked in the room your whole face changed. What happened?"

Katara sighed and lowered her voice, since she could still hear Pakku and the others talking in one of the other rooms.

"I broke up with Aang. He's not putting being the Avatar first and he won't do it as long as I'm with him, so I broke up with him so that he could be the Avatar."

"And is that the only answer?" Gran Gran said with a knowing look.

"Yes." Katara said more firmly than was necessary.

"If you say so." Gran Gran lifted her eyebrows.

"Katara, this place is fantastic!" Aang said, bouncing up to her from the other side of the room. "Pakku really knows what he's doing."

Katara did her best not to cringe at his child-like enthusiasm.

"Yes," Pakku said, "I'm also hoping to open a water bending school here once everything's settled down. It would help build up the Southern Water Tribe."

"That's a great idea." Aang said. "If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." His eyes met Katara's, "I'd be happy to drop by anytime."

Katara glared at him and looked away. Her eyes happened to fall on Zuko, who looked from her to Aang and sighed.

"Well, I hope you'll all stay for dinner." Gran Gran said, "but I'm afraid we'll need everyone to help get this place ready."

"That's not a problem." Aang said, ever eager. "We'll all help, won't we, guys?" And everyone agreed, together again, just like they used to be.


End file.
